Lacuna(1)

Chapter 23

"Aren't you supposed to go to that carnival tonight or something?" Max set Eli down on the counter. "Stay." He commanded.

"I'm trying out this thing where I don't talk to people or do anything because I'll just cause more trouble in their lives. Or witness some fucked up stuff," Evelyn explained.

"Doesn't sound like fun," Max chuckled. He took a cup out of the cupboard, a bottle of mystery juice out of the fridge, and another mystery juice.

"What is that concoction?"

"I don't know. Just trying something new." He shrugged.

He mixed the drink around with a spoon, testing the color before taking a long sip. A few gulps later the drink was finished.

"That is disgusting," he laughed. Evelyn smiled. A genuine smile. A loud banging from behind Evelyn erased her smile.

"I'll go get that." Max walked over, the smile he always put on when greeting people fell immediately. "Oh, you. Again."

"Yes, it is me," a chipper Pip said. "Now, may you please get Evelyn? I want nothing to do with you right now and would prefer to speak to her."

"Why do you need Evelyn? Gonna take her on a mystery ride? Maybe take her to the woods, give her a water bottle that you just do happen to have?"

"I'm not drugging your sister, Max. While we are on the topic of drugging, I have a few questions to ask you. I was supposed to do this over the phone but kill two birds with one stone." Pip shrugged.

"Not interested. See, you were wrong about me. I heard it was Mr. Ward. And, that you dragged my sister to help you with that."

"Good," Pip said. "Then you know that right now I have a lot of credibility with the police. I told Mr. Ward to keep the hit-and-run a secret, but if you don't answer my questions, I'll call the police and tell them everything."

"You wouldn't."

"I would. Naomi's life is already destroyed; don't think that will stop me," she bluffed.

"It would, Pippa. Don't lie to yourself," Evelyn whispered.

"What do you want?" he spat.

Evelyn heard some ruffling and then the dreaded beep of Pip's recording app. She cleared her throat and began. "Max, at the calamity party in 2014, did you drug and rape Becca Bell?"

Evelyn gasped. That's who it was? Is that why Becca didn't want me knowing? Evelyn's heart sped up, the sound pounding in her head.

"What? No, I fucking didn't."

"MAX!" Pip yelled; Max wiping what was probably spit off of his face. "Do not lie to me or I swear to god I will ruin you! Did you put Rohypnol in Becca's drink and have sex with her?"

Evelyn cringed a little for some reason.

Max coughed, not caring to cover his mouth. "Yeah, but, like... if wasn't rape. She didn't say no."

"Because you drugged her, you vile rapist gargoyle!" She shouted. "You have no idea what you have done."
Pip cleared her throat, seemingly clearing her mind at the same time. "Now, I have to ask Evelyn some questions because I have to know where she was after she left the Ward's house on April 18, 2014," Pip explained.

Evelyn silently walked over to the door, standing behind Max.

"Well, my sister just told me about how she's trying this thing where she doesn't talk to people or get involved in their lives because she's convinced she'll ruin another thing or someone's life." Max fake smiled, trying to close the door.